Carmen Bria will present a Gallery Talk in conjunction with The Fra Dana Collection: Preservation & Conservation. Mr. Bria is an expert in the field of conservation of art and is the lead conservator for the Western Center for the Conservation of Fine Arts in Denver, Colorado.

I chose this painting because it took me home. It reminds me of the rugged openness of the Big Sky country on the eastern Montana plains where I grew up. It inspired my imagination of the millions of buffalo that roamed not so long ago and the fascinating culture of the Native Americans who so proudly lived off this land. Ace captures the colors and rugged beauty of this land masterfully. It made me think of hunting for buffalo bones and Native American artifacts as a young boy and how I thought and dreamed about the people that lived there before me.

Essay by James Laskin, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy

While I really appreciate art and the creative process, I am one whose artistic abilities are significantly impaired. As a layperson to the art world, I went through the catalogue for the Campus Picks exhibition many, many times. I lumped what I saw into three categories: 1) that which I really did not like, 2) that which while I appreciated it I would not want it in my home, and 3) that which I covet. Most of what I saw fell into category 2! Not having been exposed to caricatures, except those being created at the local farmer's market, I was drawn to Honoré Daumier's work - it was grotesque and fascinating at the same time. The piece, Histoire Ancienne: Le Supplice de Tantale, really made me stop and wonder what it was about. I felt the same way with this image. It is like a bad dream. As I sit in my office totally stressed and tied down by what I have to do, I too, am trying to escape to the beauty all around me, fly fishing, walking the dog, Out-to-Lunch at Caras Park, and all of the other things that I am just too busy to enjoy. I printed up a copy of this work and placed it on my peg board as a reminder to not forget what is important.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture is in the process of raising money for a building, which will serve as a new exciting gateway to the UM campus. In each issue we will highlight ways this building and the work of the museum will support our community and create enriching opportunities.

Programming

MMAC offers rich interdisciplinary programs which involve artists, scholars, departments and schools from across the UM campus and Montana community. UM partners include the School of Fine Arts, the Journalism Department, the Mansfield Center, UM Press, Native American Studies and Women's Studies among others. Recent collaborations with external organizations have included joint ventures with the Missoula Writing Collaborative, Missoula Symphony Association, the Missoula Museum Collective, Dana Gallery, Archie Bray Foundation, the MOLLI program, and others.

For more information about the MMAC building project, or to discuss naming opportunities, please call Sara Portzel, Director of Development at 406.241.6894 or contact her by email at sara.portzel@mso.umt.edu.